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Drew Peterson's Fundraising Web Site Shut Down

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Drew Peterson's Fundraising Web Site Shut Down

Attorney Joel Brodsky Would Not Say How Much Money The Site Seeking Donations Raised, But Says Short-Term Goal Met

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. (CBS) ― People eager to contribute to Drew Peterson's legal defense will just have to wait. His lawyer is shutting down the Web site for donations saying their short-term goal has been met.

Defenddrew.com is shut down Wednesday, little more than 24 hours after it launched seeking money to help pay Drew Peterson's legal bills as a suspect in the disappearance of his wife, Stacy.

Drew Peterson's lawyer, Joel Brodsky, will not say how much money the site took in but in a statement said "Sgt. Peterson is overwhelmed by the support shown by the American people for the principle of equal and fair justice for everyone."

This news comes one day after CBS 2 broke the story that shots were fired inside the Peterson home months before Stacy Peterson disappeared. Her sister is talking about the incident.

Cassandra Cales spoke to CBS 2 West Suburban Bureau Chief Mike Puccinelli saying Stacy Peterson told her she was almost shot in her home.

"She said it scared her," Cales said, explaining that it happened just a few months before her sister disappeared.

"She had told me Drew's gun had gone off while she was in the garage getting a soda when he had come home from work. And she peeled the carpet open and showed me the bullet hole through the floor," Cales said.

She said her sister had gone to the garage to get a soda at the request of her husband. "She heard a bang or pow and didn't know what happened and she went back upstairs and drew said his gun had gone off."

Cales said her sister didn't say if she thought it was an accident.

Drew Peterson, a former Bolingbrook police sergeant, weighed in on the story saying, "It was an accidental discharge of Stacy's firearm. I'm not even going to tell you who did it. It was a stupid mishap in the home. No one was close to being hurt."

But Cales said that's not what her sister determined after she examined the bullet hole in the garage floor. She said her sister said the bullet hit about a foot behind where she was standing.

Cales said she's talking about the incident because she hopes it will affect the investigation into whether the retired sergeant gets to keep his $6,000 a month police pension.

"When police firearms are discharged, they are supposed to report it. So I think it's something that needs to be looked into," Cales said.

Drew Peterson's former neighbor Steve Carcerano said Drew Peterson told him it was actually Stacy Peterson who fired the weapon. Illinois State Police are investigating. Bolingbrook police say departmental rules require officers report any discharge of a weapon whether or not they're on duty at the time. A report was not filed in this case.

Meanwhile, Drew Peterson's attorneys were in court Wednesday morning trying to get investigators to return his property that was seized when authorities searched his home on a warrant after Stacy Peterson disappeared.

They're asking for the return of 11 guns, two cars and other items.

The office of Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow calls Peterson's motion little more than an effort on Peterson's part to try to learn what police might be developing in the investigation into the disappearance of his fourth wife.

Prosecutors have agreed to return two iPods and 23 music CDs taken from Peterson's home but objected to defense attorneys' request to return the guns, vehicles, his children's computers and a backpack "apparently containing some items of Stacy Peterson('s)".

A judge heard arguments and will make a ruling on Monday.

Drew Peterson, who was not at the hearing, said later that he's most bothered by the seizure of the computers belonging to his two teenage children. He also has two children younger than school-age.

"My kids basically need their computers for school," Peterson told an Associated Press reporter at his home. "The kids have been without their computers since this thing started."

"If anyone wants to donate one, I'll take it," he added, chuckling.

Stacy Peterson has been missing since Oct. 28. Illinois State Police have named Drew Peterson as a suspect in Stacy's disappearance, and have said she is likely dead from a homicide, in a case that continues to develop. He has denied any involvement in his wife's disappearance.

CBS 2 West Suburban Bureau Chief Mike Puccinelli and Kristyn Hartman and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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